The Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition - Press Release

The Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition Brings Alternate History Back to the Bay Area –Bigger, Bolder and Brassier Than Ever!

BERKELEY, January 11, 2010--The 2008 California Steampunk Convention was just the beginning. Renewed as The Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition, this unique event is returning to the San Francisco Bay Area March 12-14, 2010, presenting a world where steam power, airships and clockwork mechanicals are the cutting edge of technology; a neo-Victorian setting, spanning from the 1830s to the early 1900s and from cultivated London to the rugged coast of San Francisco.

The 2008 event was the first dedicated Steampunk convention in the United States and possibly in the world. It was attended by upwards of 550 guests, 30 vendors and 19 programs in two different tracks, including presentations by luminaries such as “Maker” Jake Von Slatt and WETA Workshops’ Greg Broadmore.

The Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition has moved to the Hilton Garden Inn in Emeryville, CA for 2010, preparing to host an estimated 1000+ attendees and over 40 vendors. Over 25 programs are being offered in three tracks including academic presentations, panel discussions and hands-on “Maker” workshops. Confirmed appearances include Guests of Honor Phil and Kaja Foglio (www.girlgeniusonline.com), “Steampunk Scholar” Mike Perschon, acclaimed Steampunk author Gail Carriger (Soulless, Orbit Books) and Chris Garcia, Assistant Curator at the Computer History Museum.

Also new for 2010 are the Card Room gaming club, Miss Kalendar’s Social Salon, the wondrous Museum of Curiosities and an amazing outdoor Exploratory Steam and Kinetics Enclosure, featuring The Golden Mean snail art car and entries from the Crew of the Neverwas Haul.

For evening entertainment, Exhibition guests can trip the light fantastic at the Steampunk Ball, don their Steamy best to compete in the Girl Genius Costume Competition and gather for the illustrious Party-at the Center of the Earth. Special $99 room rates are available at the hotel Nova Albion guests on a first-come, first-served basis and can be booked at: www.steampunkexhibition.com/hotel-reservations/.

The Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition is a celebration of all things Steampunk and a chance for fans, authors, makers and the general public to experience the excitement and the possibilities of an alternate History That Might Have Been. $60 Early Bird tickets are on sale now at: http://www.steampunkexhibition.com/tickets - prices will increase to $75 at the door.

I teach English full-time at MacEwan University, research steampunk and speculative literature, and giant monsters. I speak at cons and conferences, and draw and write in my spare time.
I am as avid a FRPG player as one can be with kids, a wife, and a yard.

Upcoming Appearances

If you'd like to have me present at your event, contact me at mikeperschon at shaw dot ca.

2016No appearances scheduled

What people are saying about Mike Perschon, Steampunk Scholar

"...one of Canada's most honourable and brilliant thinkers... He truly is a man of many talents. In the steampunk arena he has proven himself time and again to be open minded, thorough, direct and detailed in his reviews and academic works on various media from art to literature, film and even the obscure. He has been a wonderful panelist and presenter at various gatherings in Canada and the United States. I expect he will be invited to attend many more as people learn more about him. He is a true gentleman with a wonderful sense of humour and wonder. His students are indeed lucky."- Lee Ann Farruga, Steampunk Canada

"The Steampunk Scholar is my new blog crush. The guy is living my dream. He is doing research on a really awesome topic with cool conferences, the chance to role play and dress up in period clothes, and, best of all, having normal people probably [find] it interesting."- Historiographic Anarchy

"The Steampunk Scholar is a brilliant in-depth resource on all things steampunk fiction." - Louise Curtis

"For excellent reviews of the growing Steampunk literary genre, do make a point to visit (then bookmark) the Steampunk Scholar." - Steampunk Tribune

"Some of the best scholarship being done on the subject of Steampunk has been by Mike Perschon on his blog, Steampunk Scholar." - Christopher J. Garcia

"His explanation of how to define Steampunk was the most clever and concise version I’ve ever heard..." J.M. Frey

"...the most well-read of all the voices in the steampunk movement." - Jonathan D. Beer